Caribbean Conflict
by YourGreatestDream
Summary: Pirate Axel raids an English vessel, with no clue that on board there's a prince. Roxas, son of the English king is on an undercover mission and has to hide his identity and keep his friends alive on Axel's ship as they are taken as prisoners. What will Captain Axel do once he finds out he's caught himself a prince?
1. Chapter 1: Your Majesty

**Author's Note:** I haven't written anything for fanfiction or anything else for a very, very long time. Becoming obsessed with Kingdom Hearts and then playing AC Black Flag got my mind in gear again. Pirate Axel needed to be made! For now, this chapter is what I have. Please let me know what you think, and REVIEW please!

**Disclaimer:** Yeah, no. I own nothing.

* * *

**Chapter One: Your Majesty**

Captain Axel Flint was known across the Caribbean as the Fire of the Sea. Sailors described the pirate as a tall man with a head of fire and eyes of pure emerald green like gems from a royal treasury. The two black tears gracing his upper cheeks were said to be the frozen tears of a demon. What else could that man be but a monster? The first time he sailed a ship out to sea, his accomplishments were sung of in Tortuga for many days and nights.

With only a flintlock pistol and a single cutlass, any sailor would tell you, Axel swum over to three opposing ships and single handedly burned their sails and blew up their gunpowder supply. 'Where ever Captain Axel goes, fire runs in his wake.' After pillaging plantations and looting the possessions of ships from both the Spanish and English navy, the pirate became desired enough to receive quite the impressive bounty…especially for a pirate still in the starting years of his career.

Standing above deck, Captain Axel browsed the wanted poster in hand. With large, rough fingers he felt over the unraveling Cuban cloth, his face printed over it in red ink. Below it, he traced the number demanding his head or capture.

_210,000 reals._ Axel read. _Saïx was right. Only pirates that have terrorized the seas for ten years or more get over 500 thousand. I'm lucky to have nearly half that much in six months. _

"Capt', there's a prize of a ship ahead of us!"

Axel looked up towards the crow's nest where his eyes, Demyx, stood with his extended telescope to his eye. The redhead captain smirked a grin as the pirate crew scattered across the deck cheered in anticipation. Axel got out his metal scope from his jacket pocket and took a look. Through the seeing glass a ship bearing the British flag rocked gently over the ocean waves close to the horizon. An English schooner; what a prize indeed! Axel lowered the scope from his emerald eyes and shoved it back into the inside of his jacket as he ran to take the wheel at the back of the deck. His hands closed around the polished pegs and spun it towards the ship just a hundred meters past the prow.

"Forward sails!" Axel ordered, his voice clear and sharp, with more than a hint of adrenalin and thrill backing it.

Their ship's sails were loosened in the rigging to catch the wild winds of the sea, the sound of heavy cloth came down and rang in the air like a vibrating drum. Axel stood at the wheel, hair tied back and red bangs only slightly crushed underneath his hat. Ordering his men to get ready to fire upon the ship to their portside, he turned the helm to catch the wind. He rode his vessel with a crew of twenty strong men. Portside and starboard side both held cannons below and above deck, the backside held powdered barrels that were to be dropped to fend off ships behind them if such a case occurred.

Axel's hands gripped the wooden handles of the wheel tighter as he saw the frigate falling closer in their range. "Faster now, she can take it!"

The sails were unfurled as far as they could go, and the ship lurched forward on the choppy waves. The _Calypso's Tear_ had served Axel well for many years, holding fast through storms and tight binds with the navy of several nations.

Axel's eyes gleamed with greed and glee. "Fire the chain shot!"

Of the front of the hull's interior, a shot consisting of two halves of a cannonball melded together with a chain flew magnificently in the air, rotating and spinning before it hit the price vessel's mast, reducing it to splinters. The crew roared at the successful shot, clapping each other's backs and getting ready to man the cannons.

"Incoming fire!" Demyx shouted.

Axel's eyes grew wide as he shouted, "Brace!" He fell to one knee as _Calypso's Tear_ was hit. Shrapnel blew from the front of the hull, and some of the front mast's rigging snapped unchecked. It was minor damage, and could most likely be salvaged by parts from the prize ship once she was handled.

The pirate captain lifted his head, a mischievous smile gracing his lips as he got back up and ordered his men to take care not to sink the opposing ship. He wanted her incapacitated, not wrecked.

"Hoist the sails, slow 'er down as the ships parallel! Swing to portside. Fire the cannons!"

The sound of cannon fire thundered across the waves, music to the captain's ears. The crew bellowed louder in their cacophony and cheerful ruckus.

"Get the grappling hooks ready. Prepare to board!"

* * *

Below the decks of the schooner, few rusty iron lanterns holding melted wax candles were spared for lighting in the dark storage rooms. Splinters flew at every hit of the pirates' cannons, letting sunlight in through the cracks in the hull and sides above the ocean surface. Swinging hammocks and roped nets holding boxed cargo and provisions were highlighted by the stream of sunlight through the smoke rising from each attack.

Behind several stacked crates and rolled up ropes in the darkest corner of the room five forms huddled close in hiding.

Roxas placed a comforting hand on the most frightened of his companions, terror filling all of their heads with images of blood, gore, stained rapiers, and gleaming pistols.

"My prince-"

"No." Roxas interrupted his small, brown haired friend Sora abruptly. Two pairs of nearly identical blue eyes found each other. Roxas lifted a finger to his lips, hiding his inner turmoil and fear behind the need to protect his friends. They needed someone strong to hang on to. Someone to look to for help. Roxas hated it, but he had to be that for them. Behind his mask of calm and rationality his heart thundered repeatedly like a drumroll to his demise. Roxas swallowed quietly, "Remember we're undercover. This mission must not fail. Just call me Roxas."

Sora smiled a little, fear slightly abated, before continuing. "What is your plan? You must have one, else we'll never get to the Spanish ambassador in time. You know we have to meet-"

"Shh, Sora!" Roxas placed a hand over his friend's mouth. "It's a secret mission for a reason. Okay, everyone gather around."

Roxas let his eyes wonder over his friends, counting heads and faces. Sora, his childhood friend and best mate, had startlingly blue eyes the color of the churning seas. His brown hair went untamed, ruffled in every direction but down it crowned his head in brunet spikes.

To the left knelt Kairi and Namine. Two sweet girls that he's been friends with since forever. He'd argued immensely with his advisor on them coming with him on this mission for this very reason. The red-head, Kairi, had innocent blue eyes the color of sapphires...matched only by her twin's eyes. Namine had blond hair instead of red, taking after her father.

Behind them sat Hayner, twiddling his harmonica in anxious fingers. Though a little rough around the edges, Roxas knew Hayner would always have his back.

Roxas thought hard, holding down the panic in his throat. Their ship was not as handy in a fight as a galleon, but worked wonders for simple operations and avoiding detection. That and it was fast. However, as Roxas saw earlier when he sneaked a glance at the attacking ship through the hole in the hull, the pirate ship was much faster. Roxas didn't know sailorman terms or navy strategy, since he had grown up inland… in a _castle._

He knew how to fight and fire a pistol. The blonde prince was well versed in sword fighting, and had speed and agility to his advantage in any hand to hand fight. However, he doubted he stood a chance if a big opponent used his strength against him in this small space.

What had his mentor told him? Ah, that's right. Check the surroundings. Roxas looked up and around the room, trying to find anything that could be used against a pirate thug. There were two doors to that room, both of them facing the front of the ship. He spied no weapons aside from the single sword sheathed at his waist. If they were approached by more than one pirate, Roxas wouldn't be enough to stop them.

"Listen. We have no choice. If the pirates are taking prisoners, we have to go along and play captive." Roxas said, holding up his hands to stop his friends' upset acclamations. Kairi bit her tongue as she held back a crude comment. "I know this jeopardizes the mission, and risks both Namine and Kairi's well-being. The pirates must not know who it is they have captured. They cannot find out who I am. Hayner, you protect the girls. Sora – you stay with me. If the pirates separate us, then our first objective is to find eachother and stick together in two groups to keep attention off of us."

Sora did a quick nod, which was followed by agreement from Hayner and finally the girls.

The door slammed open, causing the group to shout in fear as four large pirates came in with swords in hand. Roxas and his friends put up a little fight for appearances, but were easily subdued. His arms fiercely grabbed by rough, strong and dirty hands, Roxas was dragged through the lower decks by a pirate with black hair and a massive scar across his face.

Roxas could hear his breath heavy in his lungs and the heavy smell of sweat and blood seeped through the floorboards above him. The sounds of cut off screams met his ears and his face felt rain, no…drops of blood fall on him from above. The cruel sounds of cutting and gutting swords joined with the taste of gunpowder and shots that made his ears ring.

Finally the pirates shoved him towards the wooden ladder that lead up to above deck. Fisting up his hands so that they wouldn't shake, Roxas raised a hand to the ladder and made his way up.

"Faster runt!" The blonde grunted as his back was struck with the back of the blade. He heard his friends call out in uproar, and did as he was asked to prevent the pirates from finding more interest in his friends.

At the top of the ladder, Roxas opened the trap door to the victory cries of the pirates. The ship was taken. The blonde got up hesitantly from the ladder and stood up carefully. After him, the black haired pirate came up swiftly to flick a knife to his throat.

"Now don't get smart, runt." A gruff voice breathed in his ear. "Make a move, and yeh can kiss the bloody deck in yer last moment of yer pathetic life."

Roxas refrained from nodding, careful of the blade at his bare skin. He swallowed to gain just a little wet in the desert of his mouth, "Up to you."

The scarred thug actually grinned, his golden eyes gleaming dangerously as he laughed at Roxas's remark. "Yer damn right it's up to me. I like yeh. Might ask the captain if we can keep yeh."

Roxas scowled. Looking up, he could see that the rest of the group had been taken above the deck as well. Were they going to die? He lost his sword in the scuffle downstairs, and if he made one move then his friends would be killed.

All at once, Roxas' thoughts ceased as his eyes caught sight of a man swinging from the pirate ship to land in the middle of the fighting, his long coat blowing in the wind of the landing. The man's laugh wasn't evil, as Roxas believed it would be. The man was actually having _fun. _The red-headed man swung a sword in each hand, killing as though it was an art. His poisonous green eyes smiled, challenging everyone that crossed his path.

The battle didn't last long after that. The redhead sheathed his swords and took in his bearings. Spying the pirate holding Roxas, the man walked over with a swaggering gait. Roxas could feel his heart jump as the man came closer and closer.

"Xigbar, I told you to secure the deck before going below." The redhead lectured to the man holding Roxas. "Instead, you go down and find the weaklings an easier fight that the soldiers wreaking havoc to the rest of my crew."

"Sorry, captain." Roxas raised his eyebrows. That was the captain? "We thought the ship might be hiding the more important passengers below decks."

"And? Where can they go? This ship has no shore-going boats aboard 'er, where do you suppose these 'important passengers' can go? –" The captain looked over the group of young ones pointedly – "Nowhere once their firepower and soldiers are taken care of. Dumbass." The captain thwacked the one who Roxas now knew to be Xigbar in the back of the head.

Xigbar scowled, lowering the knife from the blonde's neck. "Yes sir. What will you have us do with the runts?"

Roxas looked back up to the captain to find piercing, emerald eyes blazing into him. Were those tattoos …tears? Wait, Roxas double-took as the stories came back to him. Captain Axel. _Fire of the Sea_. His eyes widened a little at the realization of who exactly was standing before him.

"Take them aboard. They can help repair what they did to our ship." Axel smiled. "After that is up to them. If they put up a fuss, kill them. It'll save provisions. If they behave, then we have positions they can fill until we find an island where we can sell them for profit."

Oh fuck that. Roxas glared hatefully at those degrading green pools. Ignoring the surprise the redhead showed, the blond walked right up to them until they were literally face-to-face. "Oh, I'll behave. I'll make sure that each and every one of my friends stay safe and I'll even fix your ship. But I will _not _be sold to some sick slave agent on an uncharted island in the armpits of Cuba. Mark my words, _sir_."

Green eyes narrowed and flared with indignation. The sun hit Axel's hair and Roxas found out that the tales didn't overstate the effect that made his hair look like living fire. The captain smiled daringly at the blond. "We shall see. Watch yourself, or you'll be the first one to die. Your life is in my hands, _your majesty_."

Roxas felt his heart stop. He covered up his shock with his stubborn mask of irate 'piss-off', but inside he shrank. Did he know? There's no way he could. It was just a mocking statement; it didn't mean anything. Shoving his panic down, Roxas felt the insane urge to smile.

"Just watch."


	2. Chapter 2: Captives

**A/N**: I want to thank everyone for being such good supporters, already there are four reviews! I will be using more pirate vocabulary, and I'll do my best to explain in the story when I mention each one. In this chapter I use 'shanty', 'rigger', and 'boatswain'. I hope this doesn't confuse anyone. Again, thank you so much! Reviews really help me push through each chapter.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the shanty "Heave Away", and neither do I own Kingdom Hearts. Or Final Fantasy characters.

**Chapter Two: Captives**

Roxas and his friends were shoved onto the ship, the greedy pirates shoving passed them to loot the defeated schrooner. The chaos in front of the prince made him think of vultures tearing apart a corpse, picking off anything of value and leaving the bones to rot. He choked in disgust before he was roughly thrown forward by the pirate thug he'd come to know on a personal I-fucking-hate-your-guts basis. Picking himself back up before he could be trampled on, Roxas turned to throw a loathing glare at the fearsome pirate captain.

Axel smirked, "Welcome aboard the _Calypso's Tear,_ boy. Here there are no rules but my own, and if you try to escape...you'll see why I'm the sixth most wanted criminal in these waters."

Roxas hid the shivers that ran up his spine at the deep, huskily voiced threat and tried to contain his panicked heart. He would not break, not for this man...he had people to protect and a nation waiting back home.

"Sir! This was found below the schooner's decks." A pirate came towards Axel, stopping in front of him to procure a sword of shining steel and silver engravings. Axel's eyes gleamed as he took the sword by its golden handle, and Roxas could feel a little part of him dying. That was his sword! He had the right to that sword from birth! How dare that grungy pirate place his muggy hands on it!

"Well, well." Axel gave the sword a test-twirl. His eye brows raised in surprise as he felt the sword's perfect balance. "Seems there was a noble aboard that ship. Whoever he was, he's dead now."

Roxas cringed at the captain's words, keeping his eyes on the sword as Axel switched it with his own...replacing the now outperformed pirate cutlass.

Hearing his best friend Sora yelp, Roxas turned to see the small brunet being knocked from his feet, his head falling to hit the metal pulleys at the base of the main mast. The girls tried to help, but Kairi's upper left arm was grabbed by a behemoth of a man, and a screaming Namine was being restrained by her waist. Roxas failed to spot Hayner in the rolling chaos of moving pirates, and as he ran to check on Sora he saw a trail of blood seep down from a cut in the boy's head.

The blond reined in his emotions as he knelt down next to Sora. The brunet had lost consciousness, but as Roxas felt the wrist for a pulse he breathed a small sigh of relief. Twelve seconds and already one of his charges was hurt. Cursing quietly, Roxas bent to wrap an arm around his friend's shoulders and the other arm under the bend of his knees. He ignored the wolf whistles thrown his way as he made to stand and carry his friend wherever they'd be thrown next. If only Cloud was here. His older brother would know what to do and how to escape...he was always better at these things. Even his twin, Ventus, had been on routine missions gone awry before. Roxas was in the dark ...fumbling around blind with only his hands telling him if he was about to run into something.

Behind him an explosion of fire and black smoke shot out to the sky, blowing the defeated ship apart, shrapnel flying everywhere. Roxas turned sharply, his blue eyes wide and his breath caught in his chest. He watched the destruction as the ship sank, his terror drowned out by the sound of cheering pirates.

"Get them in the holding cells." Axel shouted to his men. He turned to Roxas and his gaze was cold with malice; the smile creasing his lips lighting a spark of hate within the blond once more. "I want them working on the repairs in the morning."

The young prince was grabbed by three sets of hands, and before he had time to think the group of captives were tugged and thrown down the shaft leading below decks.

Roxas made sure to not jostle his injured friend, though that in itself was a difficult task. Rounding several wooden beams and pillars, he was pushed none-too-gently into one of a number of iron cells. They all got individual cages, except for Roxas since he had to carry Sora. He was glad that the pirates didn't try to separate them. Sora needed that injury tended to.

He and his friends stayed silent until the laughing thugs headed back to the decks. Once they were out of hearing range, Roxas waited two minutes before checking on the others.

"Kairi, Namine, are you okay?" He called out quietly.

Something shifted in his vision to his right, and across from his cell he saw Kairi's gentle blue eyes and silky maroon hair. "I'm- I'm fine...just shaken, I guess."

He heard a sound of shuffling to his left and in between the iron bars he glimpsed Namine's platinum blond hair. Her soft voice murmured the same, and then she looked around. "...Where's Hayner?"

A cold chill tickled down the back of Roxas' neck as he saw that Hayner wasn't there. Did he get trampled underneath the horde of running pirates? Had he tripped and fallen overboard? Had he been able to slip away?

Roxas held on tight to that last thought, hoping his friend was well and alive.

* * *

The young teenager hid behind the many barrels of stollen goods, his face scrunching up at the heavy smell of wine and ale. He was lucky Roxas drove the pirates' attention away from him, giving him the chance to back slowly away unnoticed.

He took out a small knife he had tucked away in the sleeve of his boots, and thought of what he could do with it. Hiding in barrels was always a good start, but the knife was too small to cut out a hole in a barrel if red wine, and the barrel would take too long to empty out unless he tipped the contents over the edge, making the knife useless. Even then he would risk making too much noise and being seen. Unless...

Hayner remembered two nights ago when the English sailors of their ship went down in the dining room to drink, and from all the drinking games and contest they had emptied two and a half barrels. The two empty barrels most likely were left behind, but he imagined that the pirates would not leave half a barrel of red wine behind. If he could find that half, he could use his knife to prop the top open and slide in.

Plan formulated, Hayner began looking for the right barrel. He tapped the sides, all of them pretty much sounding solid. He was starting to dispair at never finding it amongst forty or more wooden barrels, until his tapping efforts were rewarded by the sound of a half-hollow barrel. Grinning, Hayner looked right and left, as well as up for anyone who could spot him.

Across on the other side of the ship, two large thugs were carrying crates of stolen salt and sugar down below deck. One had black dreadlocks and lightning shaped eyebrows. The other had a chin the size and shape of a brick, giving his narrow eyes a scary appearance below the short ginger-blond hair. Continuing his perusal of the crew, Hayner looked over to the left, where a young silver-haired boy with sea-green eyes was working on taking the hull repairs down to where they'd be needed.

Looking up, Hayner's jaw dropped at the incredulous sight of a pirate up in the rigging swinging from rope to rope and crossing wooden beams like he lived up there. The weird pirate had an even stranger hair style with blond frays that stood up like a horse's mane down the center of his scalp. /What?/

Hayner turned his head to the side in a strange mixture of confusion and interest as the pirate started singing up a shanty, starting a working song as he tied snapped ropes back together and unfurled the sails. In between lines of the song, the other pirates below him working on the rigging and pulleys responded in time.

"Come get your duds in order  
For we're going to leave tomorrow

_Heave away, me jollies, heave away_

Come get your duds in order  
For we're going to cross the water

_Heave away me jolly boys, we're all bound away_

Sometimes we're bound for Liverpool  
Sometimes we're bound for Spain

_Heave away me jollies, heave away_

But now we're bound for San Juan island  
To watch the girls a-daaancing

_Heave away me jolly boys, we're all bound away_"

Hayner felt himself thumbing his harmonica, and he mentally slapped himself for being distracted by music.  
His mom had been the court musician, and his father ... well he worked at the smithy, but that's not the point. He liked music.

Shaking his head to focus, he heard voices coming closer. He slid down further to the base of the barrel and held his breath.

"I want us to port in San Juan in two days. After selling the loot, we go to Cid's for an upgrade to the ship's ram and hull armor."

Hayner cursed his luck at hearing the voice of that red-haired freak show. If he was caught...he couldn't imagine the things that would happen to him. Unlike Prince Roxas, Hayner had heard all the rumors about the Fire of the Sea. He used to be a fan actually, three months back, finding the young pirate kicking ass something to look up to.

Boy had he been wrong.

Hayner perked his ears as the conversation between the captain continued, and an unfamiliar voice spoke up.

"That's 72,500 reales, captain. Do we have enough from our last three raids to cover that? This ship we took down only had trading goods, not enough for such a spend. Unless you really plan to sell the captives on a less conspicuous island on the way to San Juan." Hayner shivered at the possibility of him and the others becoming slaves. He was itching to see who the voice belonged to, but he kept his head down and remembered to breathe narrowly.

"We have enough if we steal from the local treasury of San Juan, undetected in the night." Hayner swore he could hear the mischievous smile accompanying those words.

"Captain, San Juan is a big settlement. A city, not a village. If you get caught, it'll be on all our heads."

"Did I say I would be going? ...No, Saïx, I plan to use the captives for that job."

Hayner's steady breathing was interrupted as he nearly coughed on the air stuck in his throat. What? Axel wanted them to rob a treasury? Was he insane?

"You can't let them off the ship. They'd run the first chance they get. How do you suppose to get them to steal for you?"

Hayner chilled at the sound of the captain's laugh. "They'll cooperate. One boy fell during the skirmish earlier, so that leaves two able-bodied youngsters and two ladies. I keep the girls and the wounded boy hostage and let the two boys go a-ground. I'll leave Riku and Vincent with them for insurance, just so I have an eye on them if they _do_ try to run. They will have to steal for me and return because they can't stand leaving without the girls. It's plain and simple."

Saïx paused for a while before starting up again. "What will you do with the hostages if I'm right, and they make a run for it?"

"Nothing." Axel said bluntly. "Probably use them as cooks or something. Jewels they may be in slave market standings, but you know I only use that threat to keep prisoners in line."

Saïx grunted. "You're soft on young ones. If it were middle-age swine you'd wouldn't've hesitated to slit their throats."

Axel hummed in response, "Don't shoot me for having a heart, Saïx. I care about my men, my money, and myself foremost."

Hayner stayed silent until the voices moved on, completely forgetting about the barrel. He had to tell Roxas, but sneaking in to the cells was not going to work. Hammering his head for answers, he fisted his hair in wake of his nervousness.

He and Roxas were gonna become thieves in three days if he couldn't come up with something, fast.

* * *

Demyx finished the last chorus to "Heave Away", a simple song that all pirates and regular sailor knew. Sitting up in a nest of tight ropes, Demyx watched the sun slowly approach the horizon. Glancing down, he saw the silver-haired boatswain trying to move a rather large plank of wood for the repairs that would start in the morn.

Demyx smiled and watched as the usually 'tough guy that can handle anything' cursed and kicked the stubbornly heavy wood. Yes, he enjoyed seeing the upstart pirate stumble over himself, and he didn't really want to lift a finger to help. However, the silver-haired lad was unfortunately his friend, so he had to do /something/...even if it was just teasing him in his face.

Grabbing onto a rope he knew would take him further towards his destination, he raised his foot lazily to kick the pulley just right. The rope was released, pulling him up from his sitting position and swung him over to the next mast. Letting go once he reached the wooden brace that held the sail, Demyx grabbed the next rope and swung around the mast, letting go to drop on all fours right next to the person he wanted to see.

"Demyx," The silver-head said, used to his friend's method of travel. His green-blue eyes glared a warning. "Don't you start."

"Riku, you wound me with your accusations!" Demyx played victim, smiling despite himself. "I only came to help a poor friend in need, from being teased mercilessly for not being able to lift half a ton."

"Gull-shit." Riku looked at the cheerful pirate, his arms crossing over his chest. "You just wanted the teasing all to yourself."

"Yes, I did."

Riku shook his head. "Why do I even bother?"

Demyx looked over at the two thugs returning from below deck to grab another bunch of crates and boxes. He whistled and waved them over with his hand.

"Hey Xaldin, Lexaous, come on over here!"

The two grunts put the crates down and came over. Demyx grinned and Riku told them where the last...and heaviest...wooden repair plank needed to go below decks. The two nodded and picked it up with both of their strengths, and carried it below.

Riku muttered to Demyx, "I've been charged with watching the brats tomorrow throughout the repairs."

"You're the boatswain, Riku." Demyx smiled, "Managing the ship's maintenance is your duty. Babysitting is just a bonus."

Demyx dodged easily and laughed as Riku made a swipe at him. Narrowly avoiding a punch in the nose, Demyx smirked and ran up the mast three steps, grabbing ahold of the lowest and strongest ropes. Walking over it like an acrobat, the pirate laughed as Riku glared daggers and shouted expletives only a sailor could devise.

"Get your skinny ass down here or I swear I'll shove you in a wine barrel and throw you in the back with the powder ammunition! Neptune's Moby Dick, you're annoying."

"You won't do that to your only friend now, would you?" Demyx leaded forward, throwing his arms back for balance.

Riku ignored the question and lost interest in the pirate's jests. He muttered to himself the reason for his frustration. "Why did the captain have to let prisoners out at all? Then they will mess with my ship..."

"It's not your ship, Riku. It's Axel's."

"Who does all the maintenance?" Riku countered calmly, placing a hand over a chipped wooden pillar in the wall to the navigation deck. "Who makes sure she carries enough food for everyone? Who fixes her up after rough bouts against the navy?"

Demyx nodded to himself, seeing the boatswain's point. "You do."

"Now Axel wants five squirts with no existing experience in carpentry to fix the hole his ship's hull. This will only lead in disaster." Riku lowered his hand from over the grove in the wood, gesturing to Demyx with the other. "Who in their right minds would hand a hammer over to a prisoner, let them outside the cells, hands untied and say 'hey, fix my ship' ? Those five could forget about working, because Axel's handing them the perfect tools for escape!"

Demyx jumped down and walked over. "But you'll be watching them. Axel's appointed _you_, Riku. He trusts you to keep them in line and prevent that from happening. You understand how huge that is?"

Riku stopped and sighed. He chuckled after a brief silence, "Since when did you store up on old-man wisdom?"

Demyx smirked. "Comes with the charm. It was a package-deal of inheritance."

Riku shoved him with an elbow, and Demyx laughed.

"Fine. But you can bet I will not let those captives out of my sight."


	3. Chapter 3: Night Crawling

**A/N**: I really thought I would be doing this chapter on the repairs, but found that I was spending a lot more time on the side character Hayner. I got caught up in my first attempt at suspense in writing. Anyways, there won't be a Riku-Sora bit in this chapter, but I will do my darnedest to make it happen in the next. Sorry about the wait as well. My tablet's charger decided to die on me, and now I can't reach the first half of what this chapter was supposed to be. Well, I rewrote it. which sucks...

Enough of my gibbering. Enjoy the chapter of suspense!

**Disclaimer**: Kingdom Hearts belongs to someone who is NOT me. T-T

* * *

**Chapter Three: Night Crawling**

* * *

The sun set over the straight horizon, and the shadows lengthened over the ship's deck until darkness encompassed it all. Oil lanterns hung from port, bow, and starboard. Several lights flickered along the rail of the deck and most sputtered down below decks. In the living quarters, a dozen or so lackeys sat down to gamble with bilge dice and cards. The lead man, Luxord, led the nights entertainment and never...ever lost. Up in the captain's cabin, navigator Saïx, quarter-master Xigbar, and Captain Axel Flint stood over different maps outlaying the Virgin Islands, planning their next voyage.

Outside up in the crows nest was a sleeping Demyx, curled up in a ball on his side with a small lantern resting on the floor of the platform flicking a golden light against his splayed out, wild hair.

On the deck below the sleeping night guard, Hayner sat shivering in the night cold. His hands clutched around his brown leather vest, the only cover he had over his white, cotton, long-sleeved blouse. His knees were huddled up to his chest, the dark tan trousers flapping against the breeze. Freezing winds reached out with claws of ice that broke through whatever protection he had and he shuddered.

The crew had put the barrels down below decks a few hours ago, and during that time he had made a decision. He had switched to hiding in a wall of ropes and tools in the far corner in the back of the ship's deck behind one of the stairs that lead up to the navigation deck.

Getting up, Hayner looked around hesitantly for anyone who might be watching.

He was alone.

Scrambling on soft feet towards the trap door that lead below decks, Hayner nearly pitched forward at the rock of the ship from a sharp ocean wave. Catching his breath, Hayner moved again with more care to the unpredictable waves.

Reaching the door, Hayner paused to regain himself. He had to sneak past however many pirates between here and the cells. How hard could it be?

Very hard.

Hayner gulped and opened up the door in the deck's floor before sliding in and shutting it quietly behind him. Instead of a ladder like the schooner had, a good long wooden staircase roared up to meet him. The creaking and croaking of the ship was evident without him even having to move, the waves rocking the ship causing the floorboards to moan.

Carefully taking one step down, Hayner let out a breath he didn't now he was holding once he realized the step made no sound. Putting his weight on it, he flinched when he heard the wood creak. Waiting until he was positive no one heard it, Hayner continued downwards. Slowly, silent as he could muster, the teen froze near the bottom when he heard boisterous laughter and curses.

"Luxord, you swine!"

"I swear 'e cheats! It's the only way yeh can win at bilge dice ten times in a friggin' row!"

"Ladies, please. Just 'cause I'm good at it doesn't mean I don't play fair."

At the bottom of the stairs, the first floor had a room to the left full of gambling pirates. Hayner peeked out around the corner, making sure all the eyes were on the tall blond's hands as he felt out the dice. Hayner used the opportunity to sneak passed them as he approached a slick corridor.

On either side of the corridor were doors to the crew's sleeping quarters. Snoring fell around Hayner, coming from each door and making his hair stand on end. One step out of line, and one door opening to reveal the teen to a sleepy pirate lug was enough to send him overboard, or worse...he'd end up dead.

Creeping down the corridor, Hayner focused on the sounds the ship made and listened intently on anything that would indicate footsteps or a waking pirate.

Nothing.

Hayner let his breath in again, for the second time finding he had stopped breathing. Making it to the end, Hayner found an opening in the end of the hall that had a ladder going down into the lower sections. If his ship-knowledge was correct - he didn't have any quite frankly - then the cells would be in the lower or lowest level of the ship.

Hayner grabbed onto the metal ladder and started down. His steps were loud on a metal surface, so he slowed down the process of climbing down so it wouldn't alert anyone.

Once he made it to the second floor, Hayner looked around to find himself in a little square room not five yards wide in length. On his left a door led to where he saw was the storage unit. The door to the right was already open, revealing a hallway that made a sharp left turn right after the door. From where he stood, Hayner saw the flicker of light cast on the walls beyond the door, accompanied by two laughing silhouettes.

_Come on, think!_ Hayner looked around and saw nets hung about the cieling and ropes tied in various places. Remembering a time when he and the Prince went out with Sora to their secret fort in the forest behind the castle, Hayner gripped his harmonica. Back then, Hayner had made a special room in the fort that could only be accessed by climbing across the ceiling of hanging bars upside-down.

Could he get passed the two thugs by climbing upside down on nets?

Hayner got to work and started climbing. Each ring in a net was a foothold, and each rope was a hand rail. Crawling into the light, Hayner looked down to see the same two thugs that were lifting things earlier. One with black dread locks and the other with a chin that could break bricks. The teen was glad they were drunk with their bottles of mead and tankards of ale. It made this so much easier.

Slipping past the two of them unnoticed, Hayner felt that he could do a happy dance, if only he wasn't trying to stay unseen. Dropping quietly to the ground, the teen followed the hall until he came to stop a single iron door.

It was locked.

Hayner smiled. Not for long it wasn't. The good thing about having a blacksmith for a father was that he new all the tricks his dad did, and with his mom as a musician he learned how to be creative.

Taking out his harmonica, Hayner felt for the notch in the side that allowed for it to open. Clicking open his instrument, Hayner browsed the small tools he had placed in a small compartment inside the musical device. Three stick matches, one tiny scalpel knife and two different sized lock picks. Hayner smiled. The harmonica wasn't just that. If he blew on the end of it, it became a whistle that could be heard from fifty meters away. Very useful in secret missions and childish escapades. Taking out the larger lock picks, Hayner set down to opening the stubborn door.

Placing the left pin in the lower hole of the lock, Hayner twisted the right pick around in the upper bit, focusing on feeling the resistance and headway. Slowly he began to understand the inner gears of the mechanism and with a slow turn of the pick, Hayner felt the gears shift and click.

The door opened.

Hayner snuck into the room, careful not to make the door hinges cry out in warning. A dank, moldy smell hit him almost physically. Struggling to get used to the smell of despair and leaky roofs, the boy shuffled forward and scoured for his friends in the darkness. Inside, four cells lined up each side of the room. Each cell had iron bars from floor to ceiling, braced and strong. The doors of the cells were padlocked, and impenetrable. Hayner spotted golden wafts of hair in the corner of his vision, and when he looked towards it the hair moved closer into view.

"Roxas!" Hayner rasped in a loud whisper. The prince's eyes met his and the teen thanked whatever dumb luck that led him to his friend.

"Hayner!" Roxas looked relieved. "We thought something bad happened to you."

"Where are the girls?" Hayner asked.

"The girls are over there, asleep. It took forever for me to convince them that rest is most important, and another forever for their eyes to close." Roxas pointed to where the girl's sleeping forms lay. Sharing the cell with him, an unconscious Sora rested quietly, his breathing stable. "Where have you been, Hayner? We were worried sick!"

"I was hiding up on deck, but that doesn't matter. Roxas, you have to leave _now_." Hayner roughly whispered as he took out the lock picks and fiddled with the iron padlock to the cell. "Axel's going to have you steal from the San Juan Island's treasury! We have to escape."

Roxas' breathing hitched at the information, and the prince's friend could see his thoughts moving like gears in a well-oiled machine. It made him pause in his actions, his hands hovering over the lock. Finally, the prince sighed...his eyes sharp and clear. What the blonde said next was something Hayner didn't expect.

"How do you propose we do that, Hayner?"

The rough-and-tumble boy blinked in surprise. Looking again, Hayner saw that the prince's eyes were clear, but behind them he sensed his friend's frustration lay tucked inside, writhing in fury towards this situation. What was going through his lordship's head?

"My lo-?"

"Don't." Roxas interrupted, his voice sharp and firm. He continued softy, "I told you, call me Roxas. Once we're back in England you can 'my lord' me all you like. For now, we must wait."

"But Roxas, Axel's going to force you to become a criminal!"

The corner of Roxas' lips lifted slightly, almost sneering as he leaned forward. "I've thought about escaping since they first threw us in here. This ship is a Brig, Hayner. As much as Cloud tried to pour into my thick skull, Brigs are square-rigged, two-masted battleships that usually hold three shore boats. This one doesn't."

"How do you know?"

"They're pirates. Little shore-boats take up space that could be occupied by stolen goods or treasure. That, and it slows them down. Did you see any boats on this ship when you were up there?"

"...no..."

Roxas stood up and let his hands fall from the cell bars. "I've thought of swimming, I've thought of slipping the repair-woods overboard and using them to wade the surface to the nearest land, San Juan. I've thought of sneaking into the captain's cabin and stealing back my rightful sword, and holding it to the throat of a sleeping pirate captain, letting him wake to order him to let us go free or die." Roxas sighed and walked to the back of his cell and began slowly pacing, gesturing at Hayner with his hands as he walked. "All these plans have serious flaws. The island is too far for us to swim to, even with a floatation device like the repair-woods; the ocean will freeze us to death unless the sharks and other ocean life get to us first. Even if by some miracle we make it to San Juan, guess who will be there first to meet us and take us back?"

Roxas stopped in his pacing to check on Sora. The bleeding had stopped a while ago, thanks to the makeshift head-bandage made from ripped cloth. Roxas' white blouse now had a piece missing in the side. Satisfied that his friend was getting better, he turned back towards Hayner. "My idea of sneaking up to the captain's cabin is workable, but we know nothing about these pirates. They are unpredictable, and I have no _idea_ what Axel's response would be. If he called for guards, it would turn into a stand off with Axel as my hostage. In such a case a deal would be struck...they let us free the moment we land aground or I slit the captain's throat... but I don't know the value of a pirate's word. I can't hold them to it. The captain could very well decide to have his men ambush me and kill me for threatening his life. That would be _if _he called for guards. If he was to attack me and win, then I would be at his mercy."

Roxas flinched at the idea as he heard his friend go back to picking the lock. He continued his line of thought as Hayner worked on breaking him free. "I'd rather not chance such an unpredictable string of events. I do want my sword back, but if I steal it now they will look for it. When they find it in my possession, then the pirates will question my connection to a noble's sword. My identity would risk discovery."

"You really have thought of everything, haven't you?" Hayner said in a kind of admiration. "Except for one thing."

"What thing?"

"What in the hell makes you think I wouldn't come with you?" Roxas' eyes grew wide at Hayner's honest glare. "You're gonna do this, you're gonna do that...did you think I would ever let you go in there alone?"

Roxas smiled. Thank the stars that he had such good friends. No matter what happened, he wouldn't be facing it alone.

Hayner and Roxas froze as they heard a familiar voice echo down the corridor leading to the cells.

"What are you block-heads thinking getting drunk on guard duty?" A low voice rolled in thick, lapping waves. The two blubbering idiots muttered apologies and Hayner panicked when he heard footsteps headed in their direction.

He didn't have time to take one single step before the door was burst open by long, lanky arms.

A flaming head of scarlet met Hayner's frightened gaze and Roxas' pointed glare. The prince noticed that without his hat, the captain's hair became an unruly mess of red locks, the side locks tamed only by lines of beads that hung by his tattooed cheeks. The captain stood there for three solid seconds before speaking.

"I expected you to have at least _tried_ to escape an hour ago, but by the looks of things you're just now getting to it. How will you steal for me at this rate?" Axel narrowed his eyes on the shaking one with the lock picks. Striding forward, he took Hayner by the shoulder and grinned at the flinch made toward him. "To've made it this far, you must think you're rather crafty, don't you? Sneaking passed drunk pirates is nothing like slipping passed soldiers. You have a long ways to go, boy."

_As I said...unpredictable._ Roxas watched the man like a hawk and voiced his next thoughts, "Why are you here?"

Axel turned his attention to the crystal blue eyes and golden-blond hair of the boy who spoke out from behind cold iron bars. Roxas held his gaze as his eyes locked with twin perfect emeralds, not daring to give in and look away from their mesmerizing depths. He had to stand strong in front of his friends, and get Axel's focus off of Hayner. He didn't want any of his friends getting hurt.

"To check up on my captives, of course. That, and tell you that you're going to work for me ... in return for the food and shelter we provide." Axel stated in mocking honesty, a light air to his words. Squeezing Hayner's shoulder tightly before releasing him, the captain made it a point that he hadn't forgotten the boy as he focused his attention on Roxas. "In the morning you will repair the damage your vessel did to my ship. After that, we dock in San Juan and set you up for your first 'job'."

"Stealing from the treasury." Roxas finished, his voice deadpanned. "What exactly are you after?"

"Oho! A smart one." Axel threw his hands up in a lengthened gesture . "At last a voice of reason. ...You, what's your name?"

That's right...the captain didn't even know their names yet. Roxas nearly choked on the laughter that threatened to burst forth, barely keeping it down to a chuckle.

"What? You want to know my name _now_?" He lifted a hand to cover his upturned face, his smile wide in disbelief. Inside the prince began to seethe. "What about my friend here? Hmm? What about the girls? How about the name of the one that is _injured_ and needing proper _treatment_? No, you don't care about their names... you're only interested in the _smart_ one!"

Silence filled the room. Hayner froze still as a statue, unmoving despite the racing of his frantic heart. Both girls had awoken by now and feigned sleep, nearly holding their breaths to keep from being noticed. Axel and Roxas stared each other down, both with intimidation in their eyes as the tension grew between them like a fire.

"Roxas...?" The tension broke like shattered glass when a voice quietly interrupted the battle between captain and prince, forcing their attention towards the brunet on the floor of the prince's cell.

"Sora!" Roxas rushed to his best friend, the captain forgotten as he checked to see if the boy was okay. He felt Sora's forehead and breathed with relief when the skin he felt was warm, but not hot. Roxas checked underneath the head bandages and frowned at the early signs of infection.

"Where are we?" Sora flinched when he moved to sit up. Roxas helped him rest his back against the cell wall, the one not made with bars.

"We're in the pirate ship, Sora. You took a nasty blow to the head." Roxas filled in.

"Roxas, is it?" The prince shuddered as the captain spoke his name...as though the name was gold. Gold now his to use as he pleased.

Roxas spun to face Axel. "You haven't answered my question yet, _captain_. What are you after?"

Axel grinned as he fingered the blade at his side; Roxas' eyes lingered over it and narrowed. He hated seeing his sword in the hands of the pirate.

"Best get some rest, Roxas. You're going to need it." The prince scowled at the use of his name on the pirate's lips. Axel looked over to Hayner and pointed at an empty cell next to Roxas. "You too."

Hayner hesitated until the green eyes grew dangerous, before he moved to get himself in the empty cell. The door clanged shut and locked behind him.

Axel held his hand out to Hayner. "Your tools. Give them to me."

Hayner shook his head and held on tight to his harmonica.

"You'll get it back once you two start working for me." Axel assured. "Give it here."

Hayner handed it over, his heart tight with remorse. He didn't even have the picks he used on Roxas' cell anymore...he had hidden them in the harmonica during the time Sora woke up.

Axel's hand closed around the harmonica, and he turned to the door leading out. He didn't turn back as he said his final words, "Sleep tight."

The door closed after him, leaving the room in darkness.

* * *

Again, sorry to have you guys waiting. I've been trying to get this posted a lot sooner, but now I can finally work on the next sequence. Repairing the ship and a little Riku and Sora action.


	4. Chapter 4: A Morning Swim

**A/N**: Two updates! I was on a roll today. :3 This is the little Sora-Riku I promised. It's not as long as my previous chapters, but I plan to make up for than next chapter. :) Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own KH or FF characters, only this plot. Which is taking a long time to get to.

* * *

**Chapter Four: A Morning Swim**

* * *

The break of dawn brought a cold gust along the choppy waves, and a bright contrast between the first light and its sharp shadows in which it cast.

On deck, rope harnesses were tied up with heavy knots. To repair a ship, a sailor or two had to hang off the side of the ship to chip loose the broken boards and with help from above, grab the new one and nail it in place. After that they had to sand it, and paint it over with sap to waterproof it before painting it over again so it matched the rest of the exterior's color.

At the moment, Riku was shaking his head at the fact that the captives didn't even know that much as he prowled the front deck below the rolled-up foremast.

Keeping them in check was an easier task than Riku first thought, since the prisoners didn't put the hammers to use on his skull. Turned out they were more passive than he'd first thought. The two girls were pulled out of their cells earlier on to make the crew's breakfast in the kitchens, and they didn't even struggle as they got to work chopping meats and toasting bread.

Wondering what could've caused such a cooperation in the small group, Riku noticed the blond one stare daggers at the captain when Axel walked passed.

Not looking too far into it, Riku's eyes lighted upon the smallest of the group. The brunet with eyes as blue as glaciers had woken up feeling better, and had been adamant on helping his friends with the repairs; a work ethic Riku had to respect.

The blond, Roxas, seemed upset about the brunet joining the task, and the rusty-blond Hayner agreed.

"Why hold 'im back?" A gruff, daring voice spoke behind Riku. "If the runt wants to show he's strong enough, then let 'im. Or am I wrong?" The quarter master, Xigbar, walked up and addressed Sora. "Are you as weak as you look?"

The boy's nose scrunched up as his eyes narrowed in defiance and determination. "I'm not weak!"

"He's just pushing your buttons, kid." Riku walked over and sat down on one of the crates to overlook the work being done. He watched as the boy's eternal blue eyes turned to him. "You're making it way too easy for him to get to ya."

"Ya'h really been screwed, Riku." Xigbar grinned, his golden eye flashing beside the black eyepatch. Already used to such an ugly mug, Riku lightly shoved him away...though it didn't stop the big pirate from talking. "How're these three going to 'old up the wooden boards and nail 'em down properly when the repairs weigh more than they do? Then the captain goes ahead an' puts _you_ in charge. "

"If they can't lift it, Vincent will." Riku looked straight into the scarred yellow eye cooly. "Demyx can refurbish the lines and harnesses, and if anything happens, I'll be here to stop it. Any other comments, _quarter deck master_?"

Xigbar laughed before waving a dismissive hand at the silver haired boatswain. Riku glared at the pirate's back before turning back to see the small group staring at him.

"What are you lot looking at?" Riku said, growing slightly defensive.

"Trouble in paradise." Hayner mumbled before Roxas elbowed him in the ribs. "Ouch!"

"Who's Vincent?" Riku turned to see Sora looking at him thoughtfully.

"He's the gunner of the ship." Riku answered, getting up and brushing the dust from the crate off his legs. "Captain gives the command to fire, but it's Vincent who relays the orders and takes the aim. He's also in charge of keeping amo in healthy stock."

"You pirates are more organized than I gave you credit." Roxas commented.

"No. We're still pirates." Riku grinned, flashing his teeth dangerously. "Just method to madness is all it is."

Sora jumped up in surprise, "You read Shakespeare?"

Riku stumbled slightly, thinking fast on a change of subject. Yeah, he had read them. His father had libraries full of useless literature that he'd forced his son to read. That part of his past he wanted hidden, at all costs. "Naw, just heard it often enough in our trips around the east. Now enough dawdling, get in your harnesses and get down there."

"You sure these won't break?" Roxas eyed the ropes suspiciously, worry creasing his eyes before he could mask it.

To answer his question, Riku tossed Hayner overboard, watching the teen scream out before the ropes caught him and swayed him to and fro.

Looking back at a fuming blond, Riku grinned. "They're good."

* * *

Sora was spellbound. The young pirate with silver hair and eyes of teal green, like the shallow shores of a tropic island, was more mysterious and cunning than a pirate had the right to be.

Swinging slowly in the leather-rope harness, Sora was beginning to overcome the fear at the thought of falling. He had been more afraid of the water than of falling, but with the sturdy ropes holding him, he felt secure. Albeit, not as safe as he'd like to be.

Sora looked up at the ship's exterior and admired the figurehead at the front of the ship. A wooden statue of a mermaid clung to the prow, hair painted black and her red tail stretched low against the hull. Both arms were held back by wooden patterns that looked like seaweed chains. Her cheeks looked chipped, the scars in the wood running down her face looking like tears even though the expression was carved into a smile.

The _Calypso's Tear_ was hit in the front left side during its quick battle with the English schooner. It's reddish wood was blasted in three places, the rogue chips and debris blown away from the sailing last night.

Using their hammers and levers, the trio got to work on pulling out the broken boards. The nails were hard to loosen, but advised by Riku they kept whatever nails they could keep straight.

Finally they got the boards loose they dropped them into the ocean below. That familiar churning feeling rose up in Sora's stomach and he forced himself to look back up, not expecting to see anybody new on the deck rails.

A tall, black haired pirate with a red bandana tied around his forehead with the long raven hair spilling over it, stood over them. In his hands he held the lightest of the three repair-woods. The other two lying at his feet.

"Alright now," Riku called over the rails, "Vincent is going to hand you the boards and you three each have to share the weight, make sure it's in the right spot before hammering it in."

The first board was no problem. The second one took a while when Hayner's ropes grew slack and he started spinning.

After that, the largest board was handed to Roxas to balance over the other two when the edge of the board scraped one of Sora's ropes, cutting it as it was slid across the rail.

"Ahh!" Sora cried out as one of the two ropes holding him up snapped, dangling him on a single lifeline.

"Sora!" Roxas shouted.

Riku grabbed the rope at the top, feeling the tension in the strings becoming too much to stay together. "Don't worry, it's not a big drop if you fall. Just swim back to the ladders on -"

The rope snapped and Sora let loose a curdling scream as he plunged down to hit the water.

"HE CAN'T SWIM!"

Sora could barely hear his best friend over the relentless waves. The cold shocked his limbs into freezing up. After a strong wave pulled him under his arms flailed uselessly, trying to keep him afloat. His head submerged beneath the surface, he panicked as salt water filled his nose and mouth.

Fear rose up and roared in fury as Sora grew more and more frantic in his movements, breaking through the surface for just a moment. Inhaling handfuls of air and water, he choked and coughed before sinking underwater again.

Tears mixed with salt water as Sora watched the blue of the dancing sunlight from below the waves, air in his lungs screaming for him to breathe. Was he going to drown? No! He frantically beat the water away, trying as he might to reach air. The lack of oxygen began to effect him as he grew weaker, and lost the strength in his limbs.

Firm hands grabbed hold of his falling arms, pinning them to his sides before he was pulled up, his head breaking the surface in a loud gasp. Two strong arms held him to a bare chest, feet pumping water to keep them floating above the surface.

Expecting to see Roxas, Sora jumped when he saw drenched, long, silver hair slumped over broad shoulders. Looking up, the boy was transfixed as teal, sea green eyes bore down at him.

"Idiot." Riku muttered before cursing under his breath. "Why didn't you tell anyone you can't swim?"

Sora clutched tight to the human life-preserver. Teeth chattering, he attempted a smile. "W-w-why d-didn't you tell them y-you know about Sh-Shakespeare?"

"_Touché_." Riku stated. "Tell no one about that, you hear me?"

Sora made a stiff nod, and Riku swam them over to the rope ladder on the ship that had been unrolled from the deck.

"Y-you're a g-good guy, Riku." Sora sputtered.

Riku hesitated for a split second before dumping the brunet on the end of the rope ladders, waiting to climb up behind him as Sora got his hands and feet in the ladder planks.

"If I let you drown, Axel would be on my case that I let one of his captives die because I wasn't doing my job." Riku covered. "What are you looking at? Keep moving, the water's freezing!"

Flustered at being caught staring, Sora blushed before looking away to climb up the rope ladder. Very aware of the firm-muscled chest of the pirate climbing up behind him.

Why had Riku become a pirate? Was he anything before his life on the sea? He knew there was more to Riku than the older teen was letting on, and Sora looked forward to uncovering the mysteries that the silver-haired boy held close.

* * *

Awwww, now I feel like I cheated everyone out of a CPR scene. Well, this is to build relations between characters for later purposes. Next up is San Juan! I might not be able to update as fast, so I apologize ahead of time.


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